SEC 594 Curriculum and Methods in English—Fall 2013
Graduate School of Education, Binghamton University—SUNY
Dr. Matthew McConn
(607) 777-6793
mmconn@binghamton.edu
Academic B 126B
Office Hours: T 1-4
and by appointment
Course Objectives
This is a course designed to introduce students to the teaching of English in the secondary school. In this course,
students read research and theory in the teaching of secondary language arts and discuss the practical
application of that research and theory in the classroom. The students in this course will meet the following
major objectives:
1. Become acquainted with a variety of teaching/learning strategies, as well as professional standards,
journals, and organizations, which support the professional growth of middle and secondary
English/Language Arts teachers.
2. Learn to employ an integrated approach to the teaching of English/Language Arts in diverse cultural
settings.
3. Develop an understanding of the application of theories and research related to teaching literature,
writing, and English language at the secondary school level.
4. Develop proficiency in analysis of the suitability of texts for use with students from diverse backgrounds
and needs.
5. Demonstrate the ability to plan, implement, and assess the effectiveness of lessons, which incorporate
the Common Core Standards.
Through systematic, scholarly study of the research on teaching English at the secondary level, and by
establishing a broad understanding of the research in the field of teaching of English in the secondary classroom,
the above objectives will be met.
Required Texts
Atwell, N. (1998). In the middle: New understandings about writing, reading, and learning. 2nd edition.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Probst, R. (2004). Response and analysis: Teaching literature in secondary schools. 2nd edition. Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann.
Choose one of the following for your novel group:
 The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
 Blindness by Jose Saramago
 1984 by George Orwell
Choose three independent reading novels that you would use for novel groups in your own classroom. One of
the books must come from a provided list, and the other two novels must meet the following criteria:
 Genre: Young Adult Literature;
 Must have been published between 2011 and present;
 Intended audience is a grade level you plan to teach.
*Note: All 3 of your chosen novels can come from the provided list.
Copies of whole class texts, such as research articles, poetry, literary nonfiction, and short stories, will also be
provided for the teaching of specific lessons.
Assignments and Points
Reading Quizzes—40 points
Each week there will be a quiz over the reading during the first 5 minutes of class. There will be a total of 10
quizzes, each worth five points. The two lowest quizzes covering the textbook reading will be dropped. All the
quizzes that address the novel group reading will count toward your cumulative grade. You may not make-up a
quiz. If you miss a quiz due to an absence or because you are late to class, then I will assume you have chosen
to drop that quiz.
Novel Group/Literature Circle Lesson—10 points
You will chose three young adult novels appropriate for your chosen grade level and write a unit plan of how
you would implement literature circles using your chosen novels. Your unit plan should include the following:
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Content Objectives
Individual group questions
Whole class discussion questions
Activities
Quizzes (or some way of knowing they’re reading)
End product, or major common assessment
The unit plan needs to show the logistics, such as when the students will meet, and how many pages need to be
read by when. The questions, activities, and assessments should clearly show the common thread that ties the
novels together. As a model, I will provide a unit of the novel groups/literature circles that I am implementing
in this class.
Objective-Driven Lesson Plan—10 points
You will write a lesson plan for teaching a reading objective within a chosen text. The lesson plan will represent
one 50-minute class period, and should have a content objective, a language objective, and an agenda that
clearly shows the full lesson cycle. Again, I will provide a model for you.
Reflexive Piece—10 points
This one is easy: Write about anything you want that reflects your experiences in life. No real requirements
here—any length, any genre. Much of the prewriting for this piece will start with your reading autobiography;
so if you want to roll with that, feel free. But again, you can write about whatever you want, and in any genre
you want.
Don’t ask me how long it needs to be. Like I would tell my high school students, “Use the mini-skirt rule: it
needs to be long enough to cover everything, but short enough to be interesting.” This piece will go through an
abbreviated writer’s workshop, so you’ll want something with substance to participate in the class activities.
Extensive Piece—30 points
This one is not as easy. This writing is something that you’ll want to send off for publication to a journal or
website. You will need to consider your audience when deciding on length and the amount of research (it must
have research; the question will be how much), so we will look at the types of publications and the requirements
that interest you. The topic will be on secondary English education, but what you specifically argue within such
a broad topic is up to you.
For the most part, this piece will probably be about 5-7 pages and will need at least 5 references. Again, we will
look at possible publications for specific guidelines.
Grades
Based on a 100 point scale, grades will be assigned on the following basis: A 94-100, A- 90-93, B+ 87-89, B
84-86, B- 80-83, C+ 77-79, C 74-76, C- 70-73, D+ 67-69, D 64-66, D- 60-63, F 59 or lower.
PLEASE NOTE: All assignments must be typed and will not be accepted late. Only extreme emergencies with
documentation will be considered as a legitimate basis for accepting a late assignment. After three absences,
you will be dropped from the course.
Classroom Environment
I have one rule: Respect others and their opinions. (And respecting others includes being on time and staying
off your phone.) Binghamton University is committed to creating a safe environment that fosters intellectual
conversations and the sharing of all ideas. As a Binghamton University student, please be mindful of this
commitment. This extends to online work as well.
Student Accommodations Under the Americans with Disabilities Act
We will provide reasonable academic accommodations to students who request and require them. Please contact
the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 607.777.2686 in UU-119. The SSD office
recommends necessary and appropriate accommodations according to your specifically diagnosed disability.
Information regarding your disability is strictly confidential.
Academic Dishonesty
If you are engaging in conduct that you know or should know is not permitted by the university or your course
instructor to fulfill academic requirements, then there will be consequences. Students are expected to do original
work and avoid plagiarism through strict adherence to APA format. Penalties include failure of the entire
assignment and referral to the department chair for consideration of additional action. The annual university
Student Handbook publication has detailed information on academic integrity:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/student-handbook/ If you’re not sure whether it is plagiarism or not, then just ask
me.
Tentative Calendar
August 27
For our first meeting together, we will discuss the course requirements, expectations, and what teaching
English literature means to you. What is your philosophy for
teaching reading and writing? Do you have one?
 Review the syllabus and course objectives
 Who are we, and why are we here?
 In-class reading: “Learning Knights”
 What will be the purpose of your English class?
 Book Talk for novel groups
 What kind of reader are you? What is your reading autobiography? Free-write and Share (Reflexive
Piece)
September 3
Holiday—No Class
September 10
To prepare for this class, please read chapters 1 and 2 from Probst. This time will be spent discussing the
reading and reviewing the three theoretical foundations of reading as presented by Probst.
 Reading Quiz: Probst chapters 1 and 2
 Theoretical Foundations of Reading
 Transactional Theory—Selected Readings from Rosenblatt
 Reader Response, Reading Journals, Dialectical Journals…What’s the difference? How are they
utilized?
 Think-Aloud and a Cold Read
 In-Class reading: I do, We do, You do—Reader Response and Authorial Intent; Analyzing Theme
 Writing and Conference Time—Reflexive Piece
September 17
The majority of this class period will be spent discussing the lesson cycle and how to create objective-driven
lesson plans. The first part of class, however, will be set aside to discuss the Rosenblatt reading that was
handed out last week.
 Reading Quiz: Rosenblatt handout
 Teaching Reading in Secondary Schools: Transactional Theory and the Common Core
 Common Core Standards: Unpacking a Standard for teaching
 Creating an Assessment: Where do I start?
 Content Objective-driven lesson plan
 Language Objectives: How to compliment your content objective.
 Model Lesson: Imagery in “Tale-Tell Heart”
 Writing and Conference Time—Reflexive Piece (you’ll want a clean copy for next week)
September 24
Your lesson plan is due this class period, and you will need to have read Atwell chapters 1 and 3. This week
we will discuss the logistics of writer’s workshop and go through some revision strategies within the
workshop format.
 Reading Quiz: Atwell Chapters 1 and 3
 Lesson Plan Due: Pick a standard, then a story, then write your plan
 Discussion of Writer’s Workshop: Logistics, Reality, and Importance
 Writer’s Workshop: Reflexive Piece
o Revision Strategies
October 1
No Class
October 8
This will be our first literature circle, so be sure to have read the first part of your novel and write one
reader response journal entry, as well as Atwell chapter 2. After the quiz, we will break into literature
circles, and then have a whole class discussion over the first part of our novels.
 Reading Quiz:
 1984 – pp. 1-104
 The Handmaid’s Tale – pp. 1-98
 Blindness – pp. 1-110
 Reading Quiz: Atwell
 Literature Circles
 Debrief Novel Discussion Strategies
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Literature Circles and Assigned Reading
Writer’s Workshop: Reflexive Piece
 Editing Strategies
October 15
The time for this class will be spent looking at the importance of pairing texts, and the multiple ways we can
effectively link different selections for various purposes in teaching. You will need to have read Probst
chapter 4 and the handout “Cult of Success.” The final draft of your reflexive piece is also due.
 Reading Quiz: Probst and Cult
 Discussion of Reading: Theme vs. Skill
 Model Lesson for both theme and skill
 Writing and Conference Time—Extensive Piece
October 22
To prepare for this class, read Probst chapters 5 and 6. During the first half of class, we will discuss
different ways of teaching specific elements and genres. What is the norm? What does the research suggest?
For the second half of class, we will look at the use of young adult literature in secondary schools. You’ll also
want to bring your independent reading books.
 Reading Quiz: Probst 5 and 6
 Teaching Specific Elements and Genres: Rhetorical Analysis vs. Literary Analysis
 Close Reading and Thinking Aloud
 Intensive and Extensive Reading Instruction
 Discussion: Young Adult Literature and the Classroom
 Writing and Conference Time—Extensive Piece
October 29
This class time will be spent looking at specific writing workshop mini-lessons. You’ll need to have read
Atwell “First Workshop Routine” pp. 140-147 and Chapter 6. Be sure to bring a clean copy of your
extensive piece.
 Reading Quiz: Atwell
 Discussion of Writer’s Workshop and Mini Lessons
 Model mini lesson and workshop for editing
 Writer’s Workshop
 Debrief and discuss various uses for revising and editing
November 5
No Class
November 12
For this class, we will look more closely at the importance of what we read as it relates to other readers. To be
prepared, be sure you have read the second part of your novel group assignment, as well as Probst
chapter 3.
 Reading Quiz:
 1984 – pp. 104- 201
 The Handmaid’s Tale – pp. 98-205
 Blindness – pp. 111-215
 Literature Circles
 Probst Chapter 3 Discussion
 Debrief Strategies
November 19
This night will be devoted to discussing the impact technology, specifically social media and television, has
on reading. What does the research suggest? What does it mean for your classroom? You will need to have
read Probst chapter 6 to be prepared for the discussion.
 Reading Quiz: Probst chapter 6
 Discussion: Visual Literacy and the impact of social media and TV
 Utilizing pop culture in the classroom: Model lesson
 Effective Use of Technology in the English classroom
November 26
Prepare for this class by reading Probst chapters 8 and 9. The discussion during this class time will center
around two issues: evaluation and the history of teaching literature. We will look at how the purpose of
teaching literature has changed over the years, and how this change has impacted the evaluation of students.
 Reading Quiz: Probst chapters 8 and 9
 Discussion of reading
 History of the Teaching of Literature
 Evaluation and Grading: Practical Purposes and Qualitative Research
 Your philosophy for teaching literature: How has it changed?
December 3
For our final class, be sure to have completed your novel for literature circles. We will work through the
final activities of the novel group unit, and look at the various ways to commonly assess the readings. We will
end the semester by reading our newly revised philosophy for teaching literature.
 Reading Quiz:
 1984 – complete
 The Handmaid’s Tale – complete
 Blindness – complete
 Literature Circles
 Class discussion
 Common Assessments
 Your philosophy for teaching literature—read around.
 Discuss curriculum vitaes and mock interviews
December 10
No Class
December 17
In place of a final exam, we will have mock interviews. Please plan on attending this class and be prepared to
present a curriculum vitae to a mock committee who will interview you with questions intended to prepare
you for the real deal. Your final extensive piece is also due via email.